Thursday, March 8, 2007

Brian Robbins Openly Declares War on Quality

No doubt emboldened by "the best [financial] month of his career", director/producer Brian Robbins--the artist behind such landmark cinematic achievements as Good Burger, Ready to Rumble and The Perfect Score--has used a profile in today's Hollywood Reporter as a platform to lash out at anyone who has ever questioned his abilities--specifically film critics, but also anyone with eyes and/or ears and/or a fully-functioning brain.

Robbins' defense? I'm rich, so I must be talented.

Citing the high audience test scores of his latest directorial effort, the Eddie-Murphy's-Oscar-chances-annihilator Norbit, Robbins seems genuinely confounded as to how the movie could have scored a pathetic 9% on Rotten Tomatoes, asking: "Is the audience that stupid? Is America's taste that bad? I don't think so."

If I may be so bold as to address Mr. Robbins' concerns in consecutive order: yes, yes, and you should.

Apparently gaining momentum from his completely asinine assertion that "the only films that get good reviews are the ones that nobody sees", Robbins goes on in the THR piece to take a rather wide swing at Alan Arkin, the victor over Murphy in last year's Supporting Actor Oscar race, claiming that the 73-year-old "couldn't do what Eddie did in Norbit."

That's a low blow, Robbins. For a man of Arkin's advanced age to strap himself into a latex fat suit and scream at various pitches would be a genuine health risk much more than it would an accurate barometer of his thespian skills...and I think you just might know that.

Then again, perhaps not...for a man who thinks that "work with movie stars" passes as insightful advice for aspiring filmmakers might not know too much of anything.